You can work while on SSI disability although, the SSA also places strict limits on your monthly income that you can earn while on SSI disability and they also offer specific work incentive programs.
The standard income limit you can when on SSI disability is $1,690.00 per month.
If you're blind the limit to the amount you can earn on SSI disability is $2,830.00 per month.
But if you're on SSI disability and earn more than these caps, the SSA often also generally considers it to be Substantial Gainful Activity, and your monthly disability check for SSI disability will stop.
When on SSI disability, the trial work period or TWP allows you to test your ability to work for up to 9 months while keeping your full SSI disability benefits.
But any month that you work and earn over $1,210.00 will count towards your 9 month work period trial.
Then after 9 months of the trial, you have a 36 month period of time where you can continue to work while on SSI disability and only get the SSI disability payments for the months your income falls below the SGA limit.
Also a free, voluntary program that also provides job training, career counseling and job placement services to help beneficiaries to transition into the workforce is also available.
When working on SSI disability, the first $85.00 of your monthly earnings are not counted toward your income.
But after the first $85.00 you earn, your SSI or SSDI benefit is reduced by $0.50 for every dollar you earn.
The more income you earn, the more your SSI or SSDI benefit is reduced, until you eventually become ineligible for the SSDI or SSI payments if your income becomes too high.
Although if you're able to work and earn more than the SSI or SSDI then that is better, even if you lose your SSDI or SSI benefits as it's hard to live on SSDI and SSI alone.